Here are some of the highlights:
~Ben & Cassie volunteered for the first few hours then raced a 5k together for their first time. Great way to spend time together as a couple and help inspire our family. They were there from start to finish every drove my tired and overly emotional butt home.
~Taylor Paige ran in Gabe's honor with her friend and took second place in her age group.
~Jamie ran the food table with her boy Chase, which turned into making, cutting and serving thousands of PB&J sandwiches, oranges and other items. She rocked it in the background like always but you know WE WERE WATCHING and will always be grateful.
~Grandma Campbell came and oversaw us all, she is 80 and it was way past her bedtime!
~My Dad (and Stacy) came and gave me a high five around mile 8-9, I can't remember exactly where but it gave added support that was very much needed.
~Tauni appeared for a while... ha!
~Dave Dawson and Jason Hyde came along after about 10 years to support our Gabey. I heard Dave say to the race director, "I am here until you send me home". They both inspired me to be more selfless and helpful even if it is inconvenient. Dave's wife also was a right hand person to Hollie in helping with the table and doesn't know Hollie at all.
~Patrice Harris (Mom's co-worker) helped with food, t-shirts and glow sticks for hours.
~Nick organized the t-shirts and helped with various things.
~Scott Campbell and entire family were worker bees as they put sandwiches, oranges and did anything they could to help this race go well.
~The Shreeve boys showed up and manned the glow stick area. No fan fair, no hype, just showed up served and went home. The inspire many with the way they just come and work.
~Gabriel Rojas served drinks and Goo on the road as us racers ran by and needed a boost. He was there the entire race as well. Long haul but supported Gabe and our family.
~Curt Brough was there bouncing the busses for anyone that wanted to try and sneak on... He also showed up, did his duty and supported our boy.
~Paul, Golightly, Matt and Steve all ran with me and helped me make the long haul.
~My Mom took photos and showed Jack off and is always the constant fan to all our efforts.
~Cami and Brandon also bounced on the busses and turned a several man project into a one woman show. I think a few volunteers were let go, (including Brandon) to other efforts once she took the reins.
~Jamie M, Elisa, Jodi and Brooke also pitched in the effort to get the food ready and made sandwiches. Jodi ran the race and the rest were still making oranges when things were shutting down... talk about working till the bell.
~Carol watched Campbell for us to make it all come together!
~Xander and Gabe played with glow sticks with Carver and Chase... Gabe walked around like a celebrity as random people would come up to him and tell him they were following his blog. One man came in a wheel chair and claimed he did it for Gabe... all loved his shirts.
~Matt Oviatt came to volunteer... bounced the buses, rounded people up then as we talked before the race started he decided to run the half. He took his shirt off, handed over his wallet and keys and ran the marathon in trendy shoes and g-bottoms. He truly was inspired to come and be a part of a great feeling! Final note, he hadn't run a mile in 4-5 years.
Hollie also put it all together. I would imagine Joe Coles will be calling her for advice on how to better organize things and bring it all together as Hollie always ties up all loose ends and makes everything perfect. Hollie put most of our volunteers to work and brought the heat in serving and making things happen. We would not have had such a great event without her and her efforts as always.
PLEASE KNOW
Many other volunteers and racers are not mentioned only because I could not be everywhere the whole time. I invite all to tell their stories so we can get a more overall picture of what happened out there. Send me a note and I will include it!
Last of all while I was struggling to keep running on the final two miles I asked a lady to make a deal with me. I asked her to pick her feet up and I would do the same and be each others motivators.... we both did it but slowed down on the last half mile to have our final conversation. I asked her, "what do you race for?" and she said, "I am 53 and I can... how about you, why do you race?". At that moment I looked down at my Gabe shirt and gabbed it to show her and said, "I run for Gabe my son". She said "really, how come?" I burst with emotion and told her through flooding tears I cannot talk right now and sprinted the last half mile.
It was a long last half mile as I was crying so much I could barely breathe. You know the type of crying that little kids do when they are almost hyperventilating? That is what I was doing as I ran across the finish line with a few hundred people looking on.
I wonder now, do those strangers have any idea what was happening at that moment? Do they have any idea that my life has been altered so much by running for my boy Gabey? Do they know that at that last few seconds I promised God that nothing will stand in our family's way as we help Gabe continue to find his voice? Do they know that I learned you find you own voice while helping others find theirs? Do they know that my boy Gabe was in hog heaven that day and even though he may be teased and taunted for his form of communication but we knew in this moment he will eventually get the last laugh?
The truth they don't know and many did not care. They were there for their own purposes or their own Gabes but I don't care.
All I know is that we set out on this project (not to make money) to help inspire Gabe and our family and I cannot speak for everyone involved but for me, Hollie, Xander, and Gabey will be forever changed and nothing will stand in our way to help Gabe find his voice and fulfill his own purpose on this earth.
Thank you all, we loved it and are thankful for all the kind words and encouraging actions to make steps forward!
TEAM GABE
FIND YOUR VOICE
